Chnages In The Carbon Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

what causes carbon dioxide that is stored in the earths crust to be released into the atmosphere

A

volcanic eruptions
wildfires

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2
Q

what does an increase in carbon in the atmosphere cause

A

enhances the greenhouse effect
thickens the gas in the atmosphere and traps in more heat

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3
Q

What are the natural causes of climate change

A

Natural climatic change
wildfires
volcanic eruptions

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4
Q

What is the effect of cold conditions on chemical weathering

A

Chemical weathering is more active in cold conditions as cold water can hold more carbon

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5
Q

What happens to decomposers and carbon transfer in cold climates

A

Decomposers become less effective reducing carbon transfer

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6
Q

How does cold climate affect water flow and sediment transfer

A

Less water flows to oceans as it is trapped in snow and ice resulting in less sediment transfer along rivers

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7
Q

How does frozen soil impact carbon transfer

A

Frozen soil over vast areas can stop carbon transfer into the soil

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8
Q

What is a significant effect of rising global temperatures in high latitudes

A

Melting permafrost which releases carbon into the atmosphere and enhances the greenhouse effect

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9
Q

How do wildfires start naturally

A

Lightning strike in dry vegetation

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10
Q

How much CO2 do wildfires emit yearly

A

About 8 billion tons

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11
Q

What percentage of human greenhouse gases do forest absorb

A

They absorb up to 30% of human greenhouse gases

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12
Q

How much carbon did the Australian wildfires release in 2019 to 2020

A

They released about 900million tons of carbon, nearly double their yearly fossil fuel emissions

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13
Q

What is released during a volcanic eruption

A

Carbon that has been stored in the earth’s crust for millions of years

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14
Q

How much carbon do volcanoes emit anually

A

Emit between 130 and 380 million tons of carbon

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15
Q

How does volcanic activity help remove carbon from the atmosphere over time

A

Lava containing silica converts CO2 into carbonates over time absorbing carbon slowly from the atmosphere

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16
Q

How much CO2 did mount st Helens release during its 1980 eruption

A

It released approximately 10 million tons of carbon in just 9 hours

17
Q

How quickly does humanity emit as much CO2 as the 1980mount st Helens eruption

A

Humanity now emits that amount of carbon in about 2.5 hours

18
Q

What are fossil fuels and why are they burned

A

Coal, gas oil
Burned to generate energy

19
Q

What is coal made from

A

The remains of ancient plants and trees that lived 200 million years ago

20
Q

What are oil and gas made from

A

The remains of microscopic plankton

21
Q

How do fossil fuels contribute to climate change

A

Burning fossil fuels release CO2, a greenhouse gas, increasing the enhanced greenhouse effect

22
Q

What percentage of greenhouse gas emissions does agriculture contribute to

A

Agriculture contributes to approximately 20%of greenhouse gas emissions

23
Q

How does agriculture produce methane

A

Methane is produced by cattle during digestion

24
Q

Why is agricultures contribution to climate change expected to grow

A

Population growth increases food demand and higher living standards often increases meat consumption

25
What is deforestation
The large scale clearing of trees
26
How much forest is lost each year due to deforestation
About 18 million acres of forest are lost annually
27
What could happen to the worlds forests if deforestation continues at its current rate
The world's forests could completely disappear in the next 100 years
28
How do trees reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
During photosynthesis trees absorb CO2
29
What happens when trees are burnt during deforestation
Stored carbon is released as CO2 increasing atmospheric carbon levels